Kobe talks about Dwight Howard toughness

Kobe Bryant suggested this week that fun-loving Dwight Howard needs to bring out the “dog” in him night in and night out, the quality that earned him three Defensive Player of the Year awards.

“It’s there, it’s just a matter of him digging deep and pulling it out. It’s already there. .It’s just a matter of him having it become habit,” Bryant said Tuesday.

Howard said he wasn’t offended by Bryant’s statements. After the Lakers’ second exhibition loss Wednesday, the All-Star center said he understood where his new teammate was coming from.

“I heard about what he said,” Howard said. “People might take that the wrong way. He’s not saying be a jerk or an a-hole to people, he’s basically saying, ‘On the court, he loves the way I play but I can be more of one of those people.’ ”